Support of Occupy Oakland by Santa Cruz's Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom

by HUFF Santa Cruz
Monday Feb 6th, 2012 8:15 PM

HUFF, at its weekly meeting, unanimously voted to back Occupy Oakland's struggle for justice and the greater struggle for the Oakland community in terms of ending police abuse, establishing real community housing and shelter, and restoring rights to all up your way.

"HUFF commends Occupy Oakland's move to set up a Community Center on 1-28.

We denounces the police harassment, brutality, and false arrests—money that should be spent addressing homeless concerns.

We urge Occupy Oakland and the Oakland Community to closely monitor and control through public statement and public assembly the OPD whether under its current corrupt leadership or in the hands of federal receivers.

HUFF commends HUFF activists who participated in and especially those arrested by the OPD for their determination, bravery, and participation."

An additional note. In Santa Cruz homeless people and Occupy Santa Cruz are facing the same kind of repression: false arrests, bogus and disappearing charges in court, the closing off of public space, smears in the media, and threats of deeper persecution by police. Occupy Santa Cruz is likely to be issuing its own statement of support soon, if it hasn't already. Good luck with your forum on February 9th and subsequent street actions.

The most recent police crackdown in Oakland is only the most flagrant following up on earlier attacks that--like those in Santa Cruz--displaced and threatened the lives and safety of the homeless community. The January 28th march in Oakland (like the November 30th brief occupation of 75 River St.) was an attempt to establish an indoor center in anticipation of winter weather and official repression.

The Santa Cruz action was more symbolic, I think. An attempt to galvanize and encourage the timid in the community to realize the absurdity of unused empty space and the greed and obliviousness of those so hoarding it.

The fact that Oakland police now blatantly shut down public street protests with mass false arrests using undisguised "curbside justice" shows how far things have deteriorated. The same mentality to a lesser degree prevailed in Santa Cruz on December 8th (and apparently in the last two months against individual homeless people in the Pogonip according to reports I got at the Homeless (Lack of) Services Center last Friday. Chief Vogel assembled a riot squad of several dozen officers at City Hall in anticipation of the arrival of protesters with "a tent". The City offices both at City Hall and across the street were closed. Vogel personally took charge to threaten me and others with (false) arrest. A photographer was surrounded and hassled. Not good, folks.

I sent the following letter to the Sentinel on January 18th about our situation. While the Sentinel has generally printed my past letters, this was apparently made the wastebasket without comment. I may have information, having left another inquiry with editor Don Miller this morning.

Dear Editor,

When will City Manager Bernal or Police Chief Vogel make restitution for the destruction of the survival homes of 200 people at the San Lorenzo Campground?

When will City Council compensate those whose survival gear was crushed in garbage trucks on December 8th by the 90-120 cops in full riot gear?

When will the city and its uniformed tentcrushers pay in Small Claims Court for the damage they've done and the people they've hurt in this political crackdown?

Relatives of those ousted from shelter who have died this winter outside need support in suing the City for creating several hundred more local refugees.

The rest of us need to ignore and resist the police state curfews that have descended on City Hall, the Main Library, the County Building, and the Main Post Office. The Bush-Obama crackdown has come home.